Learn how to start, grow, and sustain a local programming community with the CAFE (Code Along, Feel Empowered) method from programming community organizers at TU Delft, Utrecht University, and VU Amsterdam. In this interactive session, they will share their success stories and effective strategies, including the CAFE Playbook, to empower and connect researchers with coding skills, and how support staff can benefit from their research community. The session is part of the Future track, exploring tech, process, and support, and is suitable for both researchers and research support professionals. Join the discussion to learn how to create a welcoming and inclusive space for programming learning communities.

1. Presented by: Ashley Cryan (4TU), Neha Moopen (UU), and Stephanie van de Sandt (VU)
A

2. We are programming CAFE organisers
from Utrecht University, TU Delft,
4TU.ResearchData, VU Amsterdam, and
Leiden University
neha moopen, UU jonathan de bruin, UU jelle treep, UU
aleks wilczynska, TUD ashley cryan, 4TU dan rudmann, LU
stephanie van de sandt,
VU
lena karvovskaya, VU meron vermaas, VU
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3. S
with a little icebreaker!

4. S
COFFEE TEA?

5. S
R PYTHON?

6. S
CATS DOGS?

7. S
STAR WARS STAR TREK?

8. S
DREAM
ABOUT
CODING
DREAM
ABOUT
ANYTHING
BESIDES
CODING?

9. VISION
01
What is a programming café?
What benefits does it provide for researchers,
how does it run, and who is it for?
02
Organizer experiences
unique approaches and lessons learned from
programming CAFEs across institutions
03
Code Along, Feel Empowered!
Introducing the CAFE Playbook, and
how you can start your own community
We'll talk about our communities,
experience as organisers, and resources
we're developing to inspire new CAFEs
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10. Organizers: Neha Moopen,
Jonathan de Bruin, Jelle Treep
Running since:
September 2022 as
Programming Cafe | October
2017 - February 2019 as R Cafe.
Meetings: Monthly
Focus: (FAIR) Software & Data
Website:
https://github.com/UtrechtUniv
ersity/programming-cafe
UTRECHT
UNIVERSITY
PROGRAMMING
CAFÉ
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11. Organizers: Ashley Cryan,
Aleks Wilczynska
Running since:
November 2021
Meetings: Monthly
Focus: R, FAIR
data/software
Website: bit.ly/tud-rcafe
TU DELFT
R CAFÉ
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12. Organizers: Stephanie
van de Sandt, Lena
Karvovskaya, Meron
Vermaas
Running since: April
2023
Meetings: Monthly
Focus: Software
Website:https://ubvu.git
hub.io/bytes-and-bites/
VU
AMSTERDAM
BYTES & BITES
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13. programming café /noun/ - a welcoming and
inclusive space to connect people, share knowledge
and support researchers in their coding journeys
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14. HAVE A CORE TEAM
RELY ON A NETWORK STRUCTURE COMMUNICATION MAYBE: SEEK FUNDING
01
03
02 04
who is responsible for practical
planning and visioning in response
to community needs
of presenters, support
staff, partners and other
communities to spread
the word and generate
new ideas
create and publish a
schedule for your events
online and use tools like
GitHub project boards to
track meeting prep tasks
check out opportunities
from Open Science
communities, DCCs, or
internally that can fund
things like food, swag and
special events
practical tips for getting started
��
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15. MAINLY: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE!
● Meeting frequency
● Regular meeting date/time
● Food and drinks
● Room setup
Your community might have specific preferences and
needs that can help you decide on:
S

16. How much time for
presentation vs.
discussion vs. eating
pizza? 🍕
Who does the presentations, demos
and/or lectures? 💻
Will there be a theme to the
meeting? How do you
choose a good topic? 📊
Where can you find
reusable existing
materials or tutorials to
work with? 🧐
How can you make it easy
for people to find code and
information after the
meeting? 👀
Will community
members be asked
or encouraged to
share their work?
󰛛
What about a
system for
feedback or
new ideas? 󰢨
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17. some ideas for building a community of
learners that support each other, learn from
each other, and grow together.
Communication - far and wide!
website, newsletters, community-specific
channels, posters, TV screens, post-workshop,
email signatures, social media
Event registration
user-friendly and accessible platform such as
Eventbrite or Google Forms
Welcoming atmosphere
make newcomers feel included with
icebreakers and opportunities to connect in
Community in contact
provide ongoing opportunities for
engagement, such as regular meetings and a
channel for ongoing conversations
Swag
mugs, t-shirts, hats, stickers - sharing these
things is fun and makes people feel a part of a
larger community
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18. a free and open-source resource* created
by and for organisers of programming
communities, or those who want to start!
*now in development
ZERO-TO-1 GUIDE TO STARTING A CAFE
PRACTICAL TIPS, EXPERIENCE, USE CASES
LIVING RESOURCE FOR ORGANISERS
Everything from sourcing funding to creating
templates for meeting organisation.
Want to start a community but not sure where
to begin? We've got you covered!
A place for organisers to connect, document
and share lessons learned and best practices
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tinyurl.com/cafe-playbook

19. S
ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS,
CATERING
IDEAS :)
UNIQUE
WAYS TO
REACH OUT
TO THE
COMMUNITY
TOPICS
YOU'D LIKE
TO SEE AT A
FUTURE
CAFE

20. TU Delft R Café: rcafe-lib@tudelft.nl ; website
UU Programming Café: info.rdm@uu.nl
(Neha Moopen & Jelle Treep) ; website
VU Bytes & Bites: m.vermaas@vu.nl; s.van.de.sandt@vu.nl;
https://vu-nl.libcal.com/calendar/universitylibrary/b
ytesbites
Email us with any questions, if you're
interested in joining upcoming community
meetings, or if you want to get involved
with the CAFE Playbook!
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21. PLANNING
- Divide the slides between ourselves (to flesh out and also to present)
- Everyone still needs to add a line about how their CAFE handles each topic
(in the Google Doc)
- Ashley/Aleks: Building & Sustaining a Community, Organization
- Neha/Jelle: Define the Event, Format/Event
- Stephanie/Meron: Logistics, Closing Comments, Introduction

22. Format:
Presentation structure: 50 minutes whole session
- Presenters: Neha (UU), Ashley (TU), Stephanie (VU) - everyone else will still be
there! This is just who will be at the front of the room.
- Structure: regular presentation with slides per topic and we can have breaks
between topics to ask questions and get feedback, the session can be in a
conversational style of sorts, ask each other (presenters) questions
- Additional options: menti? Sticky notes? Some way to interact or stay in touch?
- Lean presentation with minimal text, more verbal prompts, make notes on a
whiteboard is possible, provide a summary of best practices in the end (idea: digital
flyer or poster with a qr code?
- How can people stay in touch with us or follow our work?

23. DEFINE THE EVENT
1. What is a PC,
[INSERT text from proposal]
2. Why do we want a PC?
A vivid community for specific
3. Who is it for?
1. Personas describing attendees of the CAFEs -> open the topic, every uni describes their approach, then we
open it up to the audience for any questions or feedback.

24. ORGANIZATION
1. Core team of organizers?
1. Who do we rely on in addition to the core team? Example: event/facilities team at the library for catering
etc.
2. How are we organized/coordinated? Example: github issue for each meeting, teams channel
2. Time commitment
3. Funding
4.

25. FORMAT / PROGRAM / AGENDA
1. Overall agenda, how much time for presentation vs. freeform vs. eating pizza
2. Presentations/Lectures/Demos
1. Who does the presentations/demos/lectures?
2. How do you choose a topic?
3. What is the format of the presentations/demos/lectures?
4. Where do you find existing materials/tutorials?
3.

26. LOGISTICS
1. Frequency?
2. Best dates/times
3. Food & drinks
4. Room setup
5.

27. BUILDING AND SUSTAINING A COMMUNITY
1. Communication Strategies -> newsletters, intranet posts, channels (such PhD groups, graduate schools), TV
screens/posters, post-workshop communication, email signatures, social media
2. Sign ups/registrations
3. Ice breakers/introductions? -> example? Do that with the audience at the beginning?
4. How do you make people feel included?
5. How do you stay connected? -> mailing list, channel/teams, github, website
6. Community swag

28. CLOSING COMMENTS
1. Share highlights and experiences from organizers. Reflect on our experiences.
2. Future ambitions
BONUS
- We have a Playbook! Work in progress, it’s for YOU – so let us know how it is and if you’re missing anything and feel
free to make a pull request if you have something to add!
- CAFÉ Roadshow?
- Community Calendar for CAFES, collect all the stickers?